Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training Alex Scott - Programme Manager, JBA Trust 20 June 2019, Flood & Coast 2019

1

JBA Trust

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

2

An independent charity that aims to enhance understanding and management of risks in the water environment by enabling research,

education and training

Future challenges

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

“Createanationresilienttofloodingandcoastalchangetotheyear2100”1

3

1 DraftNationalFloodandCoastalErosionRiskManagementStrategyforEngland,EnvironmentAgency,2019

The flood and coastal sector today

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

4

•  117,000 people work in the flooding and coastal change sector

•  Multiple disciplines: engineering, ecology, environmental science, hydrology, software development, economics…

•  Rapid development of digital technologies (BIM, big data) •  Challenges within the sector (diversity, gender balance, skills

shortages)

•  Uncertainty in future scenarios - need adaptability and interdisciplinarity

Skills/demand in water and environment sector

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

5

2 2016 Water And Environment Skill Shortage Survey, CIWEM & matchtech, 2016

Current skill shortage perceptions: 1) Flood Risk Engineer 2) Civil Design Engineer 3) Mechanical Design Engineer 4) Hydraulic Modelling 5) Electrical Design Engineer 6) Process Design Engineer 7) Geo-environmental Engineering 8) Environmental Assessment/ Auditing 9) Geotechnical Engineering 10) Ecology

Future (5-10 years) skill shortage perceptions: 1) Flood Risk Engineer 2) Mechanical Design Engineer 3) Civil Design Engineer 4) Hydraulic Modelling 5) Process Design Engineer 6) Electrical Design Engineer 7) Geo-environmental Engineering 8) Geotechnical Engineering 9) Ecology 10) Environmental Assessment/Auditing

Skills and demand in engineering industry

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

6

3 Skills & Demand in Industry 2017 Survey, The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Meeting the demand

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

7

•  Knowledge exchange and sharing best practice is applicable at all stages and levels of training, education and skills acquisition across multiple disciplines

Schools

Communities Higher education

Professional development

Communities

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

8

•  Aim to raise awareness and resilience through engagement and education

•  Supported by use of innovative visualisation tools and physical models of rivers and coasts

•  Working with organisations and individuals to engage communities at variety of events

−  Local Flood Action Groups

−  Charities (Rivers Trusts, National Trust)

−  EA Community Engagement Officers

How attractive is a career in FCERM?

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

9

4 Engineering Skills for the Future, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2019

Schools

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

10

•  FCERM represented in curriculum, case studies, empowering teachers, easily accessible teaching resources

•  STEM activities and CPD e.g. Environmental Engineering Day

•  Role models passionate about FCERM (women, BAME, LGBT+)

•  Apprenticeships and University Technical Colleges

•  FCERM community working with education providers to identify skills demand and influence curriculum

“Engineering continues to remain largely invisible in the school education system” and “there is a shortage of specialist subject teachers”

Higher education

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

11

•  Higher education is still an important pathway to professionalengineeringcareers

•  Multiple pathways: ‒  ‘Traditional’ degrees ‒  Degree apprenticeships ‒  FloodandCoastalEngineeringdegreeprogramme(Brunel & HR

Wallingford) •  Industry needs to engage with academia to steer course content and help

create the demand from students for relevant courses •  Bursaries and scholarships increase uptake of

specific courses •  Advanced training short courses (NERC ATSC)

2019 Studentship Awards

Professional development

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

12

•  Upskilling and reskilling to maximise opportunities of new digital paradigm5

•  Development frameworks from professional bodies e.g. CIWEM, IET •  JBA Trust Scholarships for Flood and Coastal Risk Management

postgraduate training at Lancaster University ‒  flexible and accessible (study & work) ‒  LLFAs, Councils, Rivers Trusts ‒  PgCERT, PgDIP, MSc ‒  multidisciplinary

5 Engineering Skills for the Future, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2019

Knowledge exchange (industry – academia)

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

13

•  Collaborative research ‒  Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) ‒  Industrial PhDs with placements in

FCERM organisations (NERC CASE Studentships)

•  Non-stationarity and flooding workshop7

•  EPSRC Senior Fellowship in the Role of Digital Technology in Understanding, Mitigating and Adapting to Environmental Change6 (‘Flood Risk Sprint’)

6 Flood modelling sprint workshop report 7Workshopreport:Canthepastbeareliableguidetothefuture?

Opportunities

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

14

•  Raise awareness and inspire through STEM activities or work experience

•  Support technical and vocational training opportunities e.g. apprenticeships, placements, projects

•  Engage with education providers to help shape curriculum at all levels

•  Make skills development more accessible through bursaries and scholarships

•  Use mechanisms that support knowledge exchange and collaboration e.g. KTPs, PhDs, Industrial studentships, workshops